On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin escalated tensions by lowering the threshold for nuclear weapons use, following the U.S. authorization for Ukraine to deploy long-range missiles within Russian territory just two days earlier.
Putin made a serious update to Russia’s nuclear policy, specifically to the “Basic Principles of State Policy of the Russian Federation on Nuclear Deterrence,” stating that any aggression from a non-nuclear country, if supported by a nuclear power, would be considered a joint attack on Russia.
Kremlin signals heightened nuclear threat after Ukraine strikes Bryansk with ATACMS
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov elaborated, telling reporters that Russia reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in response to aggression involving conventional weapons. According to TASS, Peskov also indicated that the use of Western-made missiles by Ukraine to target Russia could trigger Russia’s nuclear response under this revised doctrine.
Back in September, Putin had issued a grave warning, threatening nuclear retaliation if long-range missiles were used against Russian soil. This threat was made during a period when the U.S. was contemplating the approval of Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) for Ukraine to strike deep within Russian territory.
The Biden administration delayed its decision, but reports surfaced on Sunday revealing that the U.S. had lifted the restriction on ATACMS, enabling Ukraine to extend its offensive deeper into Russia. Shortly afterward, Russia’s Ministry of Defense reported an ATACMS strike on a facility in the Bryansk region.
The U.S. decision seems to have been influenced by Russia’s move to deploy around 10,000 North Korean troops into Kursk, a region partially taken by Ukraine in a surprise invasion this past August.
Although U.S. officials have not directly confirmed the approval of ATACMS within Russian borders, they have suggested that Russia’s escalation by sending North Korean troops signals an increase in the conflict’s intensity.
Despite his repeated nuclear threats throughout the war, it remains unclear how serious Putin is about actually deploying nuclear weapons in Ukraine. He has yet to act on his past threats, even as several red lines have been crossed, including the invasion of Kursk.
Russia’s position in the war has strengthened seriously, with Russian forces pushing deeper into Ukrainian territory along the 600-mile front, especially in the Donetsk region, where Ukrainian troops are facing heavy challenges.
In the meantime, President-elect Trump has promised to end the war once he takes office, a pledge that has raised concerns about the potential compromise of Ukrainian territory to Putin.
